Nation: If You Can't Stand the Heat

The White House has been in a sweat for months over a number of issues,
but none stickier than a situation that can be traced to the good
intentions of the President. On April 10, determined to set a
fuel-saving example, Carter sent a memo to the General Services
Administration, the Government's housekeeper, asking that thermostats
in all federal buildings be set no lower then 80°. He ended up being
too conscientious in Washington's long and sultry summer: high
temperatures and humidity have frequently turned the White House into a
steam bath.